Body found in duffel bag in Suffield woods; homicide suspected

Published July 20. 2013 3:00PM

Updated July 20. 2013 3:35PM

Kelly Glista,The Hartford Courant (MCT)

Publication: theday.com

Suffield — The body of a possible homicide victim — wrapped in a black plastic garbage bag, stuffed into a large duffel and left in a heavily wooded area — was discovered by two hikers near Quarry and Phelps roads on Friday, police said.

Police are treating it as a homicide, and said they believe that it happened elsewhere and that the body was then dumped in the wooded area.

"It's generally a nice town but unfortunately this is the third time we've encountered this in the past three or four years, of bodies that were dropped on our town," police Chief Michael Manzi said.

Two teenage hikers called police at about 2 p.m. to report a suspicious and foul odor, Manzi said. The body was found at the base of a cliff in the woods near a portion of the Farmington Valley Greenway Trail, which runs through parts of Connecticut and Massachusetts.

The victim appears to be a white man, Manzi said.

The Office of the Chief State's Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. The state police Major Crime Unit was also on the scene Friday.

The investigation was still underway late Friday night and police are asking anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in that area over the past couple of days to call (860) 668-3870.